Bow for string instruments



May 28, 1929. BERKQW$K1 1,714,490

BOW FOR STRING ms'rnuunn'rs Filed July 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 28, 1929.. BERKQWSKI 1,714 496 BOW FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS Filed July 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Fig. 1a

Fig. 2a

Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITED STATES HERMAN BERKOW'SKI, F ZIELENZIG-OSTROW, GERMANY.

BOW FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July 2s, 1927, Serial No.

My invention relates toimprovements in bows for string-instruments and particularly I to bows having a movable hand lever attached to the bowhandle by which lever the tension of the hair bundle of the bow may be varied during playing so as to enable the player to play one or a number of strings at the same time. A pulling element, preferably a cord, connecting the hand lever with the hairbundle is slidably guided on the former in order to secure smooth movements when the hand lever is actuated and insuring quick and reliable change of the tension of the hairbundle.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is shown by way of example.

Fig. 1 shows the new bow in elevation, Fig. 1 is an enlarged view of the tensioning end of the bow,

Fig. 2 is a side view to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 is a top view thereof,

Fig. 3 shows the handle part of another conv struction, Fig. 3 is a top view thereof.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the bow has a curved bow element 1, to the left end of which the bundle of hairs 2 is attached in a known manner. The right bow end bears aroller 3 over which the hairs 2 are guided and tensioned. A bell crank lever is slidably mounted on the handle 4 of the bow rod 1. Between the end of the latter and the upper end of the lever 5 a wire 6 is provided. The arm 7 of the bell crank lever 5 serves as a key which is acted upon by the player. A forksha-ped part 8 of the bell crank lever 5 rides on the handle 4 of the bow rod 1, both its fingers are connected by a cross piece 9. The traverse 10 of a yoke 11 passes through the fork-shaped part 8 in such a manner, that it rests on the upper side of the handle 4. The ends of the yoke 11 are provided with abut-- ments 12. Pulling cords 13 and 13 respectively are passed round each shank of the yoke 11. The ends of these cords are attached at 14 to the hairs 2 and at 15 to the underside of the handle 4.

When the key 7 V on the bell crank lever 5 is depressed, it is kept in the illustrated position and consequently. the bundle of hairs 2 is stretched, as shown. In order to loosen the bundle of hairs for the purpose of touching a number of strings of the instrument the player has only to loosen the key as much as necessary, thus enabling the bell crank lever to turn about the traverse 10 of the yoke '11 and to slide along the handle 4. During 209,i1s, and in Germany August. 4, .1926.

this movement of the bell crank lever 5 the cords 13, 13 slide downward on the shanks of the yoke 11, whereby the hairs 2 of the how are loosened. At the reverse movement of the bell crank lever 5 the cords 13, 13 will slide upwards on the said shanks. n. any position of the key 7 and the bell crank lever 5, the cords 13, 13 assume automatically their most favourable position with regard to the bundle of hairs.

. 'According to Figure 3 a bell crank lever 16 1s movably connected by a link 17 to the handle 4 of the bow rod 1. Besides this lever 16 is guided by a pin 18 sliding in a slot 19 of the handle 4. The lower arm 20 of the bell crank lever 16 is fork-shaped too. Both fingers of the fork embrace the handle 4 and are connected with each other by a cross piece 21. Each fork finger is provided with a slot 22 in which the pins 23 of a roller 24 slide. Round this roller 24 passes a pulling cord 25, one end of which is attached at 26 to the hairs 2 and the other end to a roller 27 This roller 27 is mounted on the underside of a block 28 sliding on the handle 4. A screw spindle 29 provided with a milled head 30 and secured against axial movement passes through the block 28, so that the latter may be adjusted for regulating of the hair-tension.

The manner of manipulating of the device shown in Figure 3 is the same as described with regard to the device shown in Figures 1 and 2. l/Vhen pressing the key 7 of the bell crank lever 16 the pin 18 slides along the slot 19 to theright. At the same time the pins 23 of the roller 24 travel upward in the slots 22 of the fork 20, so that the loosened hairs 2 are tensioned. \Vhen the bell crank lever 16 is released the roller 24 slides downwards whereby a loosening of the hairs is obtained.

I claim:

1. Bow for musical string-instruments, comprising a bow rod, a bundle of hairs, a bell crank lever movably mounted on the handle of the how, a pulling element connecting said bell crank lever with the bundle of hairs and means by which the said pulling element is caused to slide on the said bell crank lever and longitudinally along one shank thereof, when the latter is acted upon.

2. Bow for musical string-instruments, comprising a bow rod, a bundle of hairs, a bell crank lever movably mounted on the handle of the bow and a pulling cord passer over a roller bodily movable on the bell crank lever, said pulling cord being connected rid-l. V

at one end'to the bundle of hairs and at the other end to the handle of the bow rod;

3. Bow for musical string-instruments,

7 comprising a bow rod, abundle of hairs, a

bell crank lever movable mounted on the handle of thebow and a pulling cord passed over a roller displaceably held on the bell crank lever, said pulling cord being connected at the one end to thebundle of hairs and at the other end to a stretching device'arranged on' the handle of bow rod.

at. Bow for musical string-instruments, comprising a bow rod, a bundle of hairs, a bell crank lever movably mounted on the handle of the bow anda pulling cord passed over a roller movably held on the bell crank lever, said pulling cord being connected at the one end to the bundle of hairs and at the other end to a stretchingdevice arranged on the handle of how rod, aslot in the handle, said bell crank lever beingbodily movable'in the slot of the handle and lnovably connected thereto by a'link,

5. Bow for musical string-instruments comprising a bow end, a bundle ofhairs therefor, a bell-crank lever slidable along said rod and having a'slot in one end, a link 7 pivotally connecting the lever and rod, a roller mounted in the slot and movable therealong, a tension block slidable in the rod,

means to move the block-to initially tension the hair, and a flexible tensioning member connected to one end of the hair bundle, pass- HERMAN BERKoWsKi. 

